ADAPTIVE ENERGY ABSORBER

• US 20050247533A1
• Filed: 05/06/2004
• Published: 11/10/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations Incorporated (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust), Steering Solutions IP Holding Corporation (Nexteer Automotive Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc. (Aptiv PLC)
• Inventors: Riefe, Richard K., Manwaring, Marvin V., Tinnin, Lee M., Jwalapathy, Ravindra, Armstrong, Ray G.
• Granted Patent: US 7,124,866 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 188/374
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 1/195 Yieldable supports for the steering column
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 7/128 characterised by the members, e.g. a flat strap, yielding through stretching, pulling apart

Abstract

An apparatus for absorbing energy includes first and second steering column members connected for sliding movement. A first anvil is associated with one of the first and second steering column members and an energy absorbing member is provided having a first portion that extends around and operable to be drawn over the first anvil in response to the sliding movement between the first and second steering column members. A dead loop is formed in the energy absorbing member between its mounting location and the first anvil and is operative to enable the dead loop to straighten in response to application of an applied force prior to movement of the energy absorbing member across the first anvil.

Claims

1. An apparatus for absorbing energy comprising:

a first steering column member;

a second steering column member connected to said first steering column member for sliding movement;

a first anvil associated with said first steering column member; and

an energy absorbing member having a first portion extending around and operable to be drawn over said first anvil in response to said sliding movement and a second portion connected to said second steering column member and a third portion spaced from said first portion and said second portion and deformable in response to said sliding movement before said first portion is drawn over said first anvil.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said third portion defines a crooked path between said first and second portions.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said third portion includes a first semi-circular loop portion.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said third portion includes a second semi-circular loop portion and substantially straight portion disposed between said first and second semi-circular loop portions.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said third portion defines an elliptical loop.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

a second anvil associated with said second steering column member and said second portion of said energy absorbing member is further defined as extending around and operable to be drawn over said second anvil; and

a locking device associated with said energy absorbing member to lock one of said first and second portions relative to the respective anvil.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said third portion includes a first semi-circular loop portion and a second semicircular loop portion and substantially straight portion disposed between said first and second semi-circular loop portions and wherein said locking device engages said substantially straight portion to lock said energy absorbing member.

8. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said locking device engages one of said first and second portions to lock said energy absorbing member.

9. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said first anvil is further defined as having a first axis and said first portion is drawn over said first anvil about said first axis and said second anvil is further defined as having a second axis and said second portion is drawn over said second anvil about said second axis and wherein said first and second axis are transverse with respect to one another.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said energy absorbing member defines a rectangular cross section.

11. An apparatus for absorbing energy comprising:

a first steering column member;

a second steering column member connected to said first steering column member for sliding movement;

a first anvil having a first axis and associated with said first steering column member;

a second anvil having a second axis and associated with said second steering column member; and

an energy absorbing member having a first portion extending around and operable to be drawn over said first anvil about said first axis and a second portion extending around and operable to be drawn over said second anvil about said second axis wherein said first and second axis are transverse with respect to one another.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said energy absorbing member defines a rectangular cross section.

13. An energy absorbing apparatus, comprising:

a first member;

a second member;

said first and second members being relatively moveable in response to application of a predetermined moving force to at least one of said first and second members;

at least one anvil mounted on one of said first and second members;

a plastically deformable energy absorbing member fixed to the other of said first and second members at a mounting location spaced from said at least one anvil and extending therefrom along an extending section of said energy absorbing member to said at least one anvil where said energy absorbing member is bent around said at least one anvil; and

a dead loop formed in said extending section of said energy absorbing member between said mounting location and said at least one anvil so as to be in unconfronting relation to any anvil to enable said dead loop to straighten in response to application of said applied force prior to movement of said energy absorbing member across said at least one anvil.